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A visionary can change the way people see the world. One day a young man, Baron Philippe, brought a new vision to the vineyard he had inherited. From this vision sprang three new ideas which would change our experience of wine. First, he invented château bottling. Second, he pioneered the art of blending several wines to create the first branded wine, Mouton Cadet. Third, he revolutionised the look of his labels by commissioning the greatest artists of the day to illustrate them.
Things would never be the same again. Rooted in the past but looking to the future, this vision unites elements apparently far removed from each other: century-old vineyards and new methods, wooden vats and steel wineries, cool, dark cellars and sparkling modern equipment, men and women working outdoors among the vines and indoors in laboratories, tools from time immemorial and the techniques of today, the cycle of production, time taken, time saved, a few acres for producing wine and a whole world to sell it in, know-how and knowledge shared, magic and technology, art and science…
Baron Philippe's vision is now Baroness Philippine's. Her eyes are not his eyes but they have the same ability to see things that others have not yet seen. This other vision is both the father's legacy to his daughter and the founder's legacy to the company which bears his name: Baron Philippe de Rothschild, S.A.
Paintings for the labels
Every year since 1945, a contemporary artist has been invited to create a unique work of art to be featured on the label of each new vintage of Château Mouton Rothschild.
As long ago as 1924, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild's father, asked the famous poster designer Jean Carlu to create a special label to salute Mouton's first château-bottled vintage. Ahead of its time, however, his inspired idea remained an isolated initiative.In 1945, to celebrate the return to peace, he decided to use the "V" for Victory on the label, drawn by the young artist Philippe Jullian.
From then on a tradition was established, and since 1946, each year, an artist has been commissioned to illustrate the label. In the beginning, Baron Philippe chose painters from amongst his friends : Jean Hugo, Léonor Fini, Jean Cocteau... In 1955, Georges Braque agreed to design a label for Mouton, and he was succeeded by some of the greatest painters of our time : Dali, César, Miró, Chagall, Picasso, Warhol, Soulages, Delvaux, Baselitz, Bacon, Balthus, Tàpies... Gradually, this has built up a fascinating art collection which is growing year by year.
Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, owner of Mouton, has always respected the painter's artistic freedom. However, most of them have created works based on similar themes : the vine, the pleasure of drinking, the ram symbol. Payment to the artists is in cases of Mouton Rothschild, rather than money, which obviously includes their own vintage.
In 1981, Baroness Philippine had the idea of sharing this extraordinary collection with the public. This evolved into the "Paintings for the Labels" exhibition, which has already been shown in museums throughout the world.
Facts & Figures
Area under vine
76 hectares
Production
240,000 to 300,000 bottles
Soil
Mostly gravel on a subsoil of marl and clay
Grape varieties
80% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Cabernet Franc
8% Merlot
2% Petit Verdot
Ageing
In 100% new barrels over 23-24 months
Second wine
Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild
Other Chateaux
Château d'Armailhac
Château Clerc Milon
Aile d'Argent
  
Wines available
All wines sold by BDXV come direct from Bordeaux and have been stored at the Chateaux or in professional storage facilities since the time of bottling. BDXV’s wines have never ever been in the hands of private collectors. This gives you the customer the highest level of quality guarantee that the wines you buy have been stored in optimal conditions since the time they were bottled.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2005, EUR POA*
Score: 96 points. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040.
Robert Parker: 96 points
April 2008: The 2005 Mouton Rothschild will have to take a back seat to the prodigious 2006, but administrator Philippe Dalhuin deserves considerable credit for pushing Mouton to higher quality levels over recent years. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Merlot, the dark purple-hued 2005 exhibits a restrained but promising nose of cedar, tobacco leaf, creme de cassis, and toasty oak. Full-bodied, tannic, and extremely backward, with the vintage’s tell-tale acidity, it appears to be even more closed in the bottle than it was from barrel. It does possess a long finish and multilayered mouthfeel. This is an undeniably outstanding, yet restrained, shy wine for a Mouton Rothschild.
April 2007: A superb Mouton, the 2005 is composed of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and a dollop of Cabernet Franc. Under the new administrator, Philippe Dalhuin, the strictest selection of any recent vintage was instituted (64% of the production was used), and the 2005's 13.5% natural alcohol is one of the highest ever achieved at this estate. While not as good as the 1986 or 1982, the 2005 is a brilliant wine offering a classic inky/blue/purple color along with notions of creme de cassis, licorice, and sweet oak. Full-bodied, powerful, and exceptionally pure with good underlying acidity as well as a boatload of tannin, it will approach full maturity between 2015-2020, and should keep for 40 years.
April 2006: The 2005 Mouton-Rothschild (a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc) tips the scales at 13.2% alcohol, one of the highest percentages ever achieved at this estate. It does not possess the power or awesome depth of the 1986 or 1982, but it may represent a modern-day clone of the 1955. A tannic, backward, concentrated, powerful Mouton built for the ages, it will require 10-15 years to reach its full potential. An inky/blue/purple color is accompanied by classic notes of creme de cassis and smoke, but no trace of new oak. That in itself is a good indication of how rich and concentrated this wine must be to have absorbed all its oak at this stage of its evolution. One might also term it 1996-like in style given its fresh acidity and bright personality. Medium to full-bodied, impeccably elegant, powerful yet subtle and reticent at present, it will be extremely long-lived.
Jancis Robinson: 18.5 points
13.1 per cent alcohol compared with the more usual 12.3–12.8 per cent. Extremely deep crimson. Blackish tinge. Very dense and an interesting edge to it but, unusually, intensely sweet for a Pauillac first growth. Even hints of tar and game. Not as dense as some. Very raw at the moment – lots and lots fruit. The tannins are much less marked than on most – perhaps because the fruit is so ripe. Silky texture – but the overriding impression is one of sweetness. Bigger than the 2004 served immediately after but Mouton 2004 looks awfully good, if quite forward, now. Just 64 per cent of the crop went into the grand vin, so this is the smallest production of the grand vin for 25 years (not counting 1991 and 1977 which suffered such extreme weather conditions).
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2000, EUR POA*
Score: 97 points. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050.
BDXV:
The wine has an attractive colour, dark and intense, a vivacious garnet red. The nose is highly expressive, rich and complex, opening on red fruit, blackcurrant and black cherry mingled with smoke, coffee, incense and vanilla. Both round and assertive on the palate, showing exceptional potential, it combines the velvet smoothness of well-integrated tannins with the concentration of berry fruit, juicy and crisp. It has no rough edges whatsoever: everything is fused and merged in a perfect union of structure and full, rich, generous flavour. The finish, powerful, explosive and superbly textured, is characteristic of the very finest Mouton vintages. (for BDXV by Mouton Rothschild)
Robert Parker: 97 points
The 2000 Mouton Rothschild is at its best with about 24-48 hours of decanting. A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, the wine offers a saturated ruby/purple color in addition to reticent but promising aromas of toast, coffee, licorice, creme de cassis, and roasted nuts. Dense, chewy, and backward, with tremendous purity and density in addition to obvious toasty oak, it is full-bodied, powerful, tannic, and backward. Twenty-four to 48 hours of aeration only hints at its ultimate potential. This blockbuster will be exceptionally long-lived. It is not as expressive as the other first-growth Medocs, but give it time.
As I predicted in my first report on the millennium vintage (April, 2001), Philippine de Rothschild could be expected to do something special with her presentation of 2000. She has exceeded everyone's expectations with a work of art. Those who have seen the extraordinary packaging of the 2000 Mouton Rothschild must certainly realize this is a brilliant achievement. The bottle is extraordinary, and likely to have nearly as much value empty as full! Her genius is obvious, but it's what's inside that counts!
Jancis Robinson: 18/20 points
Dark crimson, with some evolution. Very dramatic and minerally and spicy. Thick. Quite sweet. Stodgy on the palate, and some very dry tannins on the finish.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1986, EUR POA*
Score: 100 points. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2096.
BDXV:
The wine has an intense, dark colour with lovely ruby highlights and an ample nose, powerful and substantial, on aromas of nut, kirsch, prune, caramel, spice and mocha, testifying to refined oak in perfect harmony with generous fruit. Dense on the palate, its forward, compact tannins combine with generous flavours of jammy fruit, blackcurrant liqueur, toast, vanilla and chocolate. All the concentration and distinctive character of the vintage are displayed in an opulent, succulent finish that marries creamy tannins with great richness of flavour. (for BDXV by Mouton Rothschild)
Robert Parker: 100 points
An enormously concentrated, massive Mouton-Rothschild, comparable in quality, but not style, to the 1982, 1959, and 1945, this impeccably made wine is still in its infancy. Interestingly, when I was in Bordeaux several years ago, I had this wine served to me blind from a magnum that had been opened and decanted 48 hours previously. Even then, it still tasted like a barrel sample! I suspect the 1986 Mouton-Rothschild requires a minimum of 15-20 more years of cellaring; it has the potential to last for 50-100 years! Given the outrageously high prices being fetched by so many of the great 1982s and 1990s (and lest I forget, the 1995 Bordeaux futures), it appears this wine might still be one of the "relative bargains" in the fine wine marketplace. I wonder how many readers will be in shape to drink it when it does finally reach full maturity?
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1982, EUR POA*
Score: 100 points. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2075.
BDXV:
The wine has a dense and deep colour with garnet highlights and a rich, complex nose combining super-ripe black fruit, blackcurrant, bilberry and liquorice with toasted, roasted notes of gingerbread, caramel, mocha and candied peel. Soft and succulent on the palate, at once round and firm, it reveals an elegant structure of velvet tannins integrated into a body bursting with flavour in which black fruit, spice, vanilla, cinnamon, pepper, cherry pit, blackcurrant liqueur, chocolate and toast mingle with great charm. Sheer class, power, nobility and balance make this exceptional vintage one of the greatest of the great. (for BDXV by Mouton Rothschild)
Robert Parker: 100 points
Opaque purple-colored showing absolutely no signs of lightening, Mouton's 1982 is a backward wine. Still tasting like a 4-5 year old Bordeaux, it will evolve for another half century. At the Philadelphia tasting, it was impossibly impenetrable and closed, although phenomenally dense and muscular. However, on two other recent occasions, I decanted the wine in the morning and consumed it that evening and again the following evening. It is immune to oxidation! Moreover, it has a level of concentration that represents the essence of the Mouton terroir as well as the high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon it contains. Cassis, cedar, spice box, minerals, and vanillin are all present, but this opaque black/purple Pauillac has yet to reveal secondary nuances given its youthfulness. It exhibits huge tannin, unreal levels of glycerin and concentration, and spectacular sweetness and opulence. Nevertheless, it demands another decade of cellaring, and should age effortlessly for another seven or eight decades. I have always felt the 1982 Mouton was perfect, yet this immortal effort might be capable of lasting for 100 years! Readers who want to drink it are advised to decant it for at least 12-24 hours prior to consumption. I suggest double decanting, i.e., pouring it into a clean decanter, washing out the bottle, and then repouring it back into the bottle, inserting the cork, leaving the air space to serve as breathing space until the wine is consumed 12-24 hours later. The improvement is striking. The fact that it resists oxidation is a testament to just how youthful it remains, and how long it will last.
Jancis Robinson: 20/20 points
Lovely glowing deep ruby with notable evolution at the rim. Rich and sweet – an obvious cousin of the 1990 but with more depth and intensity. Very sweet palate entry with strong mineral notes. Round, ripe, long – extremely perfumed and seductive but with real backbone too, more so than the 1990. Fine tannins still in evidence although lovely to drink now. Delicate perfume and wonderful lingering quality on the finish. Literally gorgeous. If only this could be prescribed for every sore throat….
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